The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has called on women engineers and professionals across sectors to harness emotional intelligence as a vital tool for effective leadership, conflict resolution, and empathetic governance.

APWEN President, Dr. Adebisi Osim, made the remarks during a webinar titled “Harnessing Emotional Intelligence for Effective Leadership and Governance”, organized in collaboration with the Zambia Women in Engineering (ZWES) Section.

Dr. Osim emphasized that engineering extends beyond designing structures to connecting societies through knowledge-sharing and empowerment. While technical expertise is essential, she said, emotional intelligence is what transforms skilled engineers into exceptional leaders.

“In a world where technical prowess is essential, emotional intelligence turns good professionals into great leaders. It’s the secret sauce that helps practitioners navigate teams, resolve conflicts, and govern with empathy,” Osim stated.

She noted that women in engineering often balance high-stakes professional demands with personal responsibilities, and emotional intelligence provides stability in managing both. Highlighting the example of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Osim noted how emotionally intelligent leadership helped stabilize a post-war nation and earned Sirleaf global recognition, including the Nobel Peace Prize.

Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, she said women engineers’ innovation in producing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) went beyond technical creativity. Emotional intelligence enabled leaders to motivate anxious teams and navigate supply-chain challenges, ensuring successful delivery to frontline workers.

“Closer to home in Zambia, female leaders in engineering have used emotional intelligence to advocate gender-inclusive policies and transform male-dominated boards into collaborative spaces,” she added.

Guest speaker Dr. Patricia Nekpen Opene-Odili, founder of the Osaide Foundation, described emotional intelligence as a cornerstone of transformational leadership. She explained that leaders who understand and manage emotions constructively are better equipped to communicate with empathy, build trust, navigate conflict, and influence responsibly.

Dr. Opene-Odili stressed that integrating emotional intelligence strengthens self-awareness, enhances self-management, and enables leaders to understand community sentiment, anticipate reactions, and govern sensitively.

“Leaders grounded in emotional intelligence build institutions on transparency, fairness, and human dignity. Emotional intelligence enhances public trust, improves policy communication, and strengthens crisis leadership,” she said.

She urged leaders across governance, education, and corporate sectors to make emotional intelligence a daily practice, emphasizing that understanding people and oneself is key to leading effectively.

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Owolabi made the appeal during a visit to Mrs. Funmilayo Kadri, Managing Director of the Association for Consulting Engineers in Nigeria (ACEN), in Lagos. She commended Kadri for her significant contributions to both APWEN Lagos and the broader engineering community, highlighting the positive impact of her work.

Owolabi emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to create internship opportunities and training programs that would better prepare young engineers to compete internationally. She expressed a desire for more structured initiatives to enhance female engineers’ skills and competitiveness in the industry.

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In response, Kadri expressed her commitment to supporting APWEN and advocated for greater inclusivity and diversity within the engineering sector. She stressed the importance of involving women in all facets of engineering, particularly in consulting roles, to effectively address design challenges and drive innovation.

This call for collaboration underscores the growing recognition of the need for targeted training and development programs to support and elevate the next generation of engineers in Nigeria.

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